Halloween Special (Belated)
by Mikadaphne28
Summary: The newbie has been dragged into yet another fiasco the kids at the orphanage have pulled up, and he has no choice but to follow along, or stay back and do nothing. Yep, he was coming. *DGUOM Special


**Belated Happy Halloween!**

**Have the weird-looking pumpkin I found,**

**(,'/|\',)**

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"Is that it?" Manfredi asked, disappointment hanging from his question as the group stared at the cute little two storey house before them. "It's an embarrassment to Halloween! How could she do this to us? How are we supposed to continue the tradition if she keeps this up?"

Skipper and Kowalski exchanged glances before the latter placed a hand on Manfredi's shoulder and grinned at him.

"Did anyone tell you not to judge a book by its cover?" Manfredi frowned up at him as Kowalski slung one of the bags he was carrying over his shoulder, picked up the rest and walked to the front door. "Good thing the cover's working. Lay and I thought we'd never fool anyone." He pulled out a remote from his pocket and pressed a button. The door creaked open and bats flew out as he walked inside.

Manfredi, Johnson and Rico ducked as the mammals flew over their heads, screeching, and into the forest.

Skipper chuckled. "Come on, boys. Let's not waste another second." The three followed Skipper into the house. The door slammed shut once they were in, startling Rico. A snicker made him turn to Kowalski, who kept his remote and folded his arms with a grin. Rico rolled his eyes at him and joined the other boys as they reveled in the cold, dark and red atmosphere that seemed to resemble a horror house.

"Not bad. Layla could've done better though. Maybe if she-"

"Welcome to the dark side." A voice whispered from behind them and they quickly turned to meet a black stitched face with sharp bloodied fangs and bright red lips dressed in a long flowing black hooded cloak, with what looked like the Grim Reaper's scythe strapped to the back. Collective screams came from Kowalski, Manfredi and Johnson as Rico stiffened in surprise.

Skipper was indifferent, though it turned into an irritated scowl as he turned to Kowalski. The taller boy immediately let go of him and stepped away with a sheepish smile as Manfredi and Johnson did the same. A grin played with Rico's lips before it came forth when he saw the cloaked figure's twinkling chocolate brown eyes.

"You look great as always, Lay." Skipper commented with a grin and held up a hand to her, who giggled and high fived him.

"You're quick with the change." Kowalski added as Layla smirked at him. "I was barely gone for an hour."

"Good thing I didn't dress up as a dentist instead. I wonder what your reaction would be then."

"Don't you dare!"

"Calm down." She gestured to her costume. "Do I look like a dentist to you?"

"What ARE you?" Manfredi asked in slight awe as he looked her up and down. She grinned to show off the pearly whites and fangs and pulled back her hood, revealing two realistic horns on top of her head. She grabbed the black chiffon skirt and curtsied.

"The Grim Reaper's daughter. It's a pleasure to meet you." She swept an arm around, flashing her fangs again. "And welcome to my humble abode, underlings."

"Awesome." Johnson turned to Kowalski with a huge grin. "This year's going to rock, man! You and me, making the best special effects, oh dude, I can't _even_ imagine. This is crazy! We're going to rock this place! Let the money rain down on us! You're the best, Layla!" Johnson lifted the girl into the air, making her laugh.

Kowalski shook his head in amusement and picked up his bags. "Let's set up so we can check on the cameras and mechanisms."

"Right." Johnson picked up his own and followed Kowalski up the stairs.

"Technical team," Layla pulled out a crumpled piece of paper and ticked off an item, "check. Where's our tour guide?"

Manfredi made a show of bowing. "That would be me, Miss Reaper."

Layla thumbed toward the stairs. "Your costume's in the tech room. I'll show you about once you're done."

"Yes, ma'am!" He dashed up the stairs.

"Did you actually," Skipper looked at her as he gestured about, "do all these?"

"I had a little help with some friends. In fact, they're in the bathroom in costumes, putting on their make-up. Our scare team is complete and ready for some scaring action, sir."

"The food and drinks ready?" She nodded and Skipper crossed his arms with a smirk. "And how about the most important thing? The whole reason why everyone should be here and not going house to house like they should."

She raised her nose. "I wouldn't forget candy, _sir_."

"But you would forget that you couldn't have a piece until this is over?"

"Well..."

"Layla..."

"It was one piece..." He raised a brow at her. "Okay, maybe two, a few, a dozen, actually." He rolled his eyes and she huffed. "It's not my fault! I deserve a little something after working so hard to put this together."

"You did good, Layla." She beamed at him. "I'm proud of you."

"Thank you. And I assume that you're going to take the role of security?" He nodded. "Well, Mister Bodyguard, your station should be up top. Did you bring night vision? We are doing this in the dark for some parts." Skipper blinked and Layla tutted. "I knew it. Good thing I have a pair of night vision binoculars up there. Along with some refreshments."

"Night vision?" Skipper repeated like an excited child. "How?"

She giggled. "Secret."

"Layla, come on. Tell me. I mean, aren't night vision binoculars expensive? You didn't steal them, did you?" The girl frowned and slapped his arm.

"I would never do that. I borrowed them from a friend, but," she interrupted him before he could speak, "I am not telling you. I swore to keep it a secret."

"Fine. But one day, one day you'll tell me where you're getting all these stuff." She stuck out her tongue at him and giggled when he glared at her.

"I'm back!" Manfredi called out as he jumped off the last step. He was dressed in khaki, complete with a compass, binoculars, leather gloves and hiking boots. "And I look awesome! Thanks, Layla!" She nodded and turned to Skipper.

"I'll meet you by the overhang." Her eyes drifted to Rico then back to Skipper. "Uh...Skipper?"

"What?" She looked over to the boy beside him, and he followed his gaze.

"Did you plan on telling him _before_ you brought him here? Like, he looks very," she frowned deeply and crossed her arms, "_left out_, right now."

Skipper waved her off dismissively. "I'll handle it. Just go." Layla took one last look at Rico, who stared back at her, and sighed as she walked away with Manfredi in tow.

Skipper turned to Rico, who was as lost as one could be in a maze. "You have no idea what's going on, do you?" Rico slowly shook his head from side to side and Skipper placed an arm around his shoulder. "Then let me tell you all about the little tradition we, The First Generation Fosters, decided to keep since we were formed."

_The what?_

* * *

><p><em>So, let me get this right. You, Layla, Kowalski, Manfredi and Johnson have decided when you were little kids that to save the orphanage from being sold off, to have a scare-a-thon? Scare people off group by group at some random place that you guys managed to get, and then having a huge party afterwards to celebrate Halloween?<em>

"Of course, when we were younger, we had professionals doing all the stuff. We just helped. But now, we've got complete control. Our first mission was a Gingerbread house. That got a lot of attention from the locals, made us a big hit and even made the front page of the newspaper."

_A horror house for this year, huh?_

"Don't look at me like that." Skipper rolled his eyes. "It wasn't my idea." Rico frowned and turned to Kowalski, who was checking on a skeleton as it cackled, flashed its red eyes and moved forward like it was trying to grab something. Johnson stood beside him, but was trying to escape the clutches of the one dangling above him. "Nope. Not Johnson either." His eyes drifted over to Manfredi and Layla, who were going over the layout of the house. "I have no idea who you're looking at, Rico. Just tell me." Skipper then slapped his face and groaned. "You don't talk. Right. Just point or whatever."

"Layla." Skipper blinked and stared at him like he was mad. He gave him a look, as if to say 'well?'.

"Uh...yeah..." Skipper frowned at him before looking over at the girl. "You guessed it...She was reading a book back then when she had that idea..." Rico merely grinned smugly at him.

"You guys ready?" Layla chirped beside him and he let out a strangled gasp.

Skipper raised a brow at him, though a smirk tugged at a corner.

"We're ready, Layla."

"Awesome. Manfredi just went out to brief our first group."

"Already?" Skipper looked out the tiny window beside him and his eyes grew wide. "Whoa. There's a whole mass of the costumed. How did..." He trailed off and looked at Layla.

"What?" She asked innocently, though the grin betrayed her.

"I don't believe it. You're incredible. How did you even manage to get us this crowd?"

"Just a few pieces of papers and words thrown about." She shrugged. "No biggie."

"It is. If this doesn't pay the bills for the next few months, I don't know what will happen if the orphanage falls apart."

"Ma's counting on this," she placed her hands on his shoulders and smiled, "on all of us, to help keep the place together. I will never let her down."

"No," he shook his head with a grin, "you won't let anyone down."

"Uh-huh. And as long as we're in this together, we can get through anything, right?"

"Right." He nodded with a knowing grin.

"Layla! Skipper!" The trio turned to Kowalski as he helped Johnson get away from the skeleton. "Come on!"

"For home base!" Layla called out cheerfully with a fist in the air before running after the two. Skipper and Rico followed her into a room marked 'Do Not Enter'. Rico marveled at the screens showing different parts of the house as Kowalski called out a few things from a list, with Johnson saying 'check' at every one.

Skipper patted Kowalski on the back once the boy was done. "Nice job, Kowalski."

"Thanks." He grabbed a stool, placed it near a panel of controls and wore a pair of headphones. He stretched his hands over it before placing it lightly over a button.

Rico did a double take on that. For once, the duo wasn't fighting over something, or even glaring at each other.

_This must be really important to them..._

"I'll see you guys later. You know where I'll be if you need anything."

"Overhang." Kowalski murmured with a nod. "Got it." Skipper saluted them before closing the door behind him. "We should be starting-"

"WAIT!" Everyone turned to Johnson as the boy frantically threw his headphones off and rushed to his bag, searching through it.

Kowalski placed his own headphones down with a worried look. "What is it, Johnson? Did we forget something?"

Johnson made a frustrated sound as he pushed the bag away and searched another one. "How about the sounds?" Kowalski paled, if it was even possible for the already pale boy.

"Th-the s-sounds?"

"The creepy, 'make you shiver' sounds, Kowalski! We can't go on without them! It wouldn't be a horror house without them!"

"But I thought-"

"Don't worry about it." The two turned to the calm Layla. "The bats and decor should be enough. Besides, I trained the scare team myself. They'll do fine. And we can always do it live." She picked up a spare set of headphones.

"But-"

"Please, Kowalski. We can't waste time. Let's just do it live." Kowalski looked at the girl, who nodded, and he turned back to the panel.

"Manfredi, sorry about the set back. We're ready to go now." Kowalski spoke to the microphone on his headphones, before looking at Johnson, who spoke into his own microphone, but it came out deep and distorted, just as the front door opened with a creak on a few of the screens, and the bats flew out on cue.

"_You may enter..._"

Layla bit on her nails nervously as she watched before placing the mic near her mouth. Kowalski noticed but didn't turn to her.

"We've got a howl coming..." He murmured under his breath, and Rico saw Layla swallow and nod. "Get ready..." She swallowed again and licked her lips, the grip on the headphones tightening. "Three," the headphones shook, "two," another swallow and she bit down on her lower lip hard, "one." The girl just stood there, too frightened to do anything. "Layla?" Kowalski swung about and observed his friend, who swallowed again and let out the breath she had been holding.

"Sorry. I'm sorry. I, I'll try again."

"I don't think you can, Layla. You're too scared to do it."

"I can, Kowalski." She fired back angrily, the determination glinting in her eyes. He sighed and turned back to the panel.

"Same thing, a howl. In three, two, one." Silence continued before a thump occurred. Everyone stared at Layla as the girl placed the headphones down and cried into her hands. Kowalski sighed, nodded to Johnson to continue and turned to the girl. "Layla...it's fine. We can still do this. Our chances of a good crowd here is still the same even if you don't do this." She continued sobbing, ignoring the droplets of black as her make-up ran off. "It's okay if you can't get over your stage fright-"

"It's NOT stage fright." She murmured angrily through her sobs before looking down in shame. "I'm sorry..." He sighed again and looked back at Johnson, who looked just as glum. He was about to say something else when movement from beside him stopped him.

"Rico," the boy ignored him, closed his eyes and tried to remember a time back then, "what are you-"

A chilling laugh escaped from his lips, filling the room in dead silence as screams echoed from outside.

"That," Johnson whispered as he placed his headphones down and off and jumped up, "was awesome, man! You've even got perfect timing!"

Rico turned red and looked down, catching Layla's eyes. The girl stared at him from her position on the ground before smiling. He felt himself smile back.

"How'd you do that?" Rico turned back to Johnson, seeing Kowalski raise a brow from the corner of his eye, and shrugged. "Aw man, you have got to do that again! Can you do anything else?" Rico glanced back at the screen, before imitating the howl of a wolf. Johnson fist pumped before jumping back on his stool and placing his headphones on.

Kowalski hugged Layla and whispered to her. "You'll be fine. Just relax and drink some water, okay?" She looked down with a small nod as he turned back to his panel. "Rico, she'll be fine. Listen to me and concentrate on this." The boy snapped to him, blushing in embarrassment again when he realized that he was caught. He ignored Johnson's knowing grin and concentrated on Kowalski, even though the boy's lips were twitching.


End file.
